Agriculture

The Wee Waa District is a major producer of a variety of agricultural commodities including cotton, wheat, beef cattle and sheep. These industries demand much support in terms of supplies, equipment, expert advice and labour provision. The interdependent relationships between farmers, graziers and business organizations provides the economic basis upon which the Wee Waa Community thrives.

Agriculture News

The IA Watson Grains Research Centre near Narrabri is poised for major expansion.

The I.A. Watson Grains Research Centre at Sydney University’s Plant Breeding Institute Narrabri is internationally recognised as a leader in grains research.

The centre has grown significantly in recent years and is now poised for further major expansion.

“In a few weeks a very significant new appointment will be made taking us into a completely new research area,” said Associate Professor Richard Heath.

“This is yet another facet of the expansion of the work done here and the significance of the Narrabri site.

“The Narrabri PBI will continue to grow.”

Apart from its role as an agricultural research facility, the Plant Breeding Institute is also an important Narrabri Shire industry, employing 18 academic, farm and administration staff full and part time and hosting up to 30 visiting PhD students each year.

Last year the PBI took a major step forward with the acquisition of Ron and Gloria Campey’s 1800 ha property Llara adjacent to the research farm.

Barwon LAC - NSW Police Force

In the midst of an 'above normal' bush fire season Police remind motorists of the dangers involved in throwing a lit cigarette from a vehicle window.

Barwon Local Area Command’s Acting Superintendent Kylie Chinnery said “as well as the environmental cost associated with littering, there is also great potential for fires from discarded cigarette butts”.

“Now more than ever we expect residents andtravellers to be responsible citizens” she said.

“Since the start of the bushfire season there has been huge media attention regarding the devastating toll on communities affected by bushfires”.

“A careless act like this by one person travelling through the area could have fatal consequences for our communities”.

The offence of Deposit litter (lit cigarette) carries with it fines of $250 – in aggravated circumstances the fine could be as much as $900 or you could be charged and placed before the courts.

Residents are asked to continue to be vigilant this bushfire season and if you see an unattended fire call 000 - if you witness suspicious behaviour report it immediately.

The Guardian

Three women from the “Knitting Nannas” anti-coal seam gas group have been charged after chaining themselves by the neck to a wastewater plant gate in northern New South Wales.

The women locked themselves on to the gates of the Santos Leewood Water treatment plant south of Narrabri on Monday morning. The treatment plant will support 850 CSG wells above the Great Artesian Basin.

UPDATE: The Newell Highway has reopened today after two massive water bombing tankers were called to battle a bushfire burning out of control in the Pilliga Forest.

According to the Rural Fire Service on Friday morning, the bushfire, burning between Narrabri and Coonabarabran, had swelled to almost 8,000 hectares in size after southerly and hot temperatures on Thursday night.